


Grass is Greener on the Other side, Keep it Gold Outsiders

by Aisymia (orphan_account)



Category: The Outsiders (1983), The Outsiders - All Media Types, The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-27
Updated: 2012-07-27
Packaged: 2017-11-10 20:16:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/470240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Aisymia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two different worlds they belonged to. Two different lifestyles and goals. Yet two people were never more compatible. This is the story of when a non orthodox Soc girl, Sarina, decided to explore life outside the Soc status quo life. When she meets Curly while on her impulsive exploration they do more than set their explosive world upside down, they change the course of events for Johnny, Pony, Dally, Bob, & Randy one fateful night!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Taking off from what I started

It was an unusually warm day in Tusla. Small blossoms sprouted in the trees adding to the beauty of the curved tan branches but pollen was high too. It seemed like there was always a price for serinty in the world. The air was warmer and smelled sweeter after the dormant winter. Like change was in the air, but no one could know how much change was there. Or the calm before the storm.   
  
_Small leaves and blossom petals flew through the street from the wind. It was a peaceful evening as people came home from work. Among them was a curly haired boy, coming home from his work at DX where he worked the cash register. Sodapop kept accounts and painted the car, he was quite an artist and good with numbers despite what he thought about his intelligence. And Steve was a mechanic. Curly headed towards the Curtis home. He and Tim had recently gotten closer to the Curtis gang after the Socs kept jumping Johnny Cade. Curly kicked a bottle while he walked to the Curtis house. The wind picked up, blowing leaves at him. When he reached the Curtis house he let himself in since it was unlocked. "Hi Curly," Soda said, "we weren't expecting you."  
  
_"Yeah we're all leaving," Steve said, "we have dates. Turns out going out with your social worker makes your life much easier. Nothing short of murder will get Soda & Pony sent to a boy's home now."  
  
_Curly nodded. "That's good to hear," he said.  
  
_"Pony, Johnny, and Dally went to the movies," Darry said, "if you want to catch them there."  
  
_"Thanks," Curly said, he waved and left. He walked to the movies. The wind blew again.  
  
~`~`  
  
Barina looked outside her tower room window on the window seat. The wind was blowing in the warm evening and she put things in her purse and drawer. She expected a call from Cherry soon. Her phone rang. She picked it up. "Hi,' she answered. "Sure, I can come to the movie with you, Marcia...Bob and Randy. I understand it's last minute."  
  
_"I'll ask Greg if he can make it," Cherry told her.  
  
_"Okay," Barina said. Barina hung up and picked out an outfit. She wanted to be nice looking yet she also wanted to be flexible and happy. Different things mattered to her than everyone else. She picked out a flair plaid knee length blue skirt, tan fuzzy blouse, blue vest. She put her hair half up, the up part in a braid. And wore blue coral jewelry. Her shoes were tan swedish hasbeens sling back shoes. It wasn't very Socy but that's how she was she thought as she put a little blue eyeshadow and coral lipgloss on.  
  
_She saw Bob's blue mustang pull up. She wondered if Greg was with them. She grabbed her tiny blue purse and went down to the car. When she got in she noticed Greg wasn't there. She was relieved for some reason. The car drive was silent.  
  
~`~`  
  
Curly snuck in the movie theatre but dropped some money out of charity. The movie theater was packed that day. He quickly found Curtis, Cade, and Winston.  
  
~`~`  
  
It was akward for Barina so she go out and went to get snacks or other things often. She even looked for Greg. She didn't say anything to Greg so he got bored and left. Barina was pretty with her wild curly crimson hair, olive complexion, and curly lashed brown eyes but she was shy. Rarely did anything, had no social life. She wasn't allowed to do much by her cryptic parents who wanted something out of her she couldn't understand. She wasn't cheerleader or atleast on the main squad. She was only accepted because she was a soc and Cherry's friend. Other than that she was almost invisible. She bumped into Greg. "Sorry," she said.  
  
_"No problem," Greg said, expecting something from her maybe more talk. When she didn't reply he said, "want something?"  
  
_"No thanks," Barina replied a little quickly, almost rudely.  
  
_"Okay," Greg said with weird eyes. "You can join us if you want."  
  
_Barina froze. She would sit with a clown to get away from the akward car but she automatically said, "no."  
  
_Greg gave her a look. "Okay," he said, hesitating a bit then left looking at her once. He was popular and she wondered whether he just pitied her even though she was pretty. Though it didn't matter because she barely cared. He was good looking but not her type.  
  
_At that moment she turned and saw a curly haired greaser wondering towards the chairs. She caught his eyes and saw more warmth/civility than she ever saw except for Cherry. Which shocked her to the core. He wasn't rich, but they didn't look as dirty as everyone said. But she knew they were dangerous and she should stay out of their matters. This was highlighted as a few greasers started a small fight, whooping.  
  
_As she turned Cherry and Marcia came to her, Cherry huffing. "Bob is such a tool," Cherry huffed, "when he's drunk! I told him not to drink!" Cherry ranted and they walked to the chairs and sat down.  
  
~`~`  
  
"Hey Curtis, Cade, Winston," Curly said, approaching them.  
  
_"Shepard," Winston replied.  
  
_"Hey Curly," Pony and Johny said. Curly took a seat.  
  
_Dallas started messing with the socs in front of them. The redhead got mad at Dally even threw the coke Dally brought her at him. Finally Johnny told Dallas to leave them alone and Dally left after cursing Johnny but didn't do a thing. Curly raised an eyebrow at Dally the whole time.

_Curly noticed the girl in front as the Soc he saw earlier. He didn't see the ultra snobbiness that was the soc trademark. It shocked him to the core. Cherry invited the greasers to sit with them. The three greasers joined them. Then Pony and Cherry went to get a soda.


	2. Chapter 2

Before Ponyboy had left, Johnny and him made small talk with Cherry and Marcia. The other soc, Curly noticed, was as silent as he. She was almost like Johnny. Or Clarabel Mathews if she had the Mathews humor. Curly noticed how Johnny was dismayed when Cherry & Marcia guessed his age to be 14 but Ponyboy came to their rescue by asking if the girls thought they were both 16. Curly wouldn't admit it but he was glad Ponyboy stuck up for Johnny. Johnny was everyone's pet because some cowardly parents and socs pumbled the poor kid, and left him with mental scars. It made Curly furious, especially since Curly knew Johnny could turn out strong and grow taller, like everyone else. Just some lowlife scumbags ruining his life. But lowlives have always ragged on the unfortunate and made their life hell, that's why they were the Outsiders.

Cherry and Ponyboy returned with popcorn or whatever they bought. "You were so brave telling Dally off, I was so scared," Cherry told Johnny. Curly had to grin, he was right, Johnny was definitely tough!

"Stick em up!" someone exclaimed putting a hand to Ponyboy's neck. Johnny jumped a mile. Curly started a bit too. "Jeez Mathews!" he hissed.

"Don't do that!"-Ponyboy exclaimed.

"Sorry," Two-Bit said to Johnny.

"We thought you were Dally," Ponyboy told him.

"Where is ol' Dally anyways?"-Two-Bit asked.

"Yeah where is ol Dally?"-Tim asked, sauntering by. Curly mentally groaned.  "He slashed my tires."

"We honestly don't know, Tim," Ponyboy said.  "He stormed off half an hour ago."

"Yeah we had nothing to do with it," Two-Bit added.

"They didn't," Curly added. "I was with them the whole time."

"Alright, fine," Tim replied. He walked off muttering, "when I find him, I'm going to tar his ass!"

"Is that your brother?"-Cherry addressed Curly for the first time.

Curly looked up at her. "Yea," he replied.

Cherry nodded. "You look alike but different," she observed. The loud girl and the quiet girl with Cherry turned to look at Curly.

Curly caught the quiet girl's eyes,  then asked Cherry, "what do you mean?"

"Well, you both have dark hair and dark blue eyes. But your hair, features, and eyes are soft. While Tim is hardened. He's cold, and his eyes are cold. But you're not hardened, you're too empathetic, kind, and innocent. His eyes are ice but yours are water, which symbolizes emotion," Cherry replied, boldly.

Curly stared at her. "You act like you knew me for a long time with that bullshit and poetic crap," he said, bluntly.

"But I'm right," Cherry insisted. "You sound hardened but your tone isn't."

"Yeah whatever Dr. Phil!"-Curly hissed. He stood up, and bumped into the shy girl's chair. "I'm not her!" he said, making her turn her head sharply, looking like a deer in headlights; to emphazie his point. Curly smirked at her, but without malice, and walked away. He went to steal candy from the vendor but it was impossible. He noticed Tim and Dally arguing. He rolled his eyes. Especially when Angela took Dally's side, making Tim's eyes buldge.

Cherry, Marcia, Barina, Two-Bit, Johnny, and Ponyboy met up with Curly as they left the nightly double. They talked about random stuff. Cherry asked Ponyboy about his brothers, and Ponyboy mentioned Sodapop loved him while Darry hated him. Ha! He thought Darry hated him, no that's Tim's area! Darry truly cared.

"That's not true," Johnny told Ponyboy.

"Be quiet Johnny, what would you know? No one loves you at your home!"-Ponyboy cried out. Curly resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Pony. He glared at Pony.

And Two-Bit admonished Ponyboy. "Ponyboy! Don't you talk to him that way! You apologize to Johnny right now!"-Two-Bit exclaimed.

"Sorry, Johnny," Ponyboy replied. Johnny nodded.

Then the soc scumbags appeared. Curly recognized Bob, and from the violent shaking, so did Johnny. Curly noticed the ring shapped bruise, as faint as it was, on Johnny's cheek. He rememebred Tim saying one of their gang heard Bob brag about beating up a shy kid, and leaving a ring mark. Anger flew through Curly's veins like never before. He curled his fist and glared at Bob.

"These greasers bothering you?!"-Bob asked.

"No Bob, it's fine!"-Cherry exclaimed.

"What do you think you're doing, Grease?"-Bob exclaimed.

Two-Bit broke a sodapop glass. Curly did the same, and handed his switchblade to Ponyboy. Poor Johnny was trembling.  "You're on the wrong turf," Two-Bit hissed.

"Should've thought about that before picking up our girls!"-Randy hissed.

 Greg grabbed the shy girl's hand. This made Curly even more mad if it it was possible. But the shy girl suprised everyone by twisting her arm out of Greg's, violently. "I'm not your girl!" she exclaimed.

"Stop this!"-Cherry exclaimed. "Stop Bob, we're coming with you, okay?"

"We don't want any trouble!  We're coming," Marcia added. She gave the shy girl a meaning full look. The girls went with Bob, Randy, and Greg into their car.

As the socs sauntered away, Cherry glanced at them, tears overwhelming her. "Tell Dallas to never come across me again. If I see him again, I might just fall in love with him!" Then she ran into the socs' convertible mustang, and it pulled away. Curly caught a glimpse of the shy girl before it did, and caught  her expression. It mirrored what Cherry said with much more intensity but doleful disattatchment at the same time. But Curly doubted that girl would ever get involved with Dallas. So what Greaser would she run away from the gild cage of soc bastards with?

Two-Bit went home, and Curly walked with the other two. They stopped at a park, and lay down to watch the stars. Curly noticed there were a lot of them, and it was bright. It was breathtaking, and filled you with hope no matter who you are/what you did. Curly got up a few minutes later to go do some errands. He was going to pick up a lottery ticket, it was about damn time something changed for the better! As he walked to his house, he saw the oddest thing. The house was neater than in days. His good for nothing step dad was gone for good. Looked like he got his wish. And Darry Curtis left after kissing his mom's hand!!! Tim, who was home, even nodded at Darry. "He's a good guy," Tim told Curly. "We'd be damn lucky if Darry became our step dad!"

"Then Ponyboy and Soda would be our uncles," Curly replied. Tim guffowed.

"Angela would be disappointed," Tim replied, wiping tears of laughter, "she can't stalk an uncle."

It was Curly's turn to laugh. "Ok, I'm going to town," he said after he held his side.

"Careful," Tim told Curly. "It's late."

"Yeah, don't worry," Curly replied. Both him and Tim knew the gang roamed town after duties left up. But they just played poker, like a wild west salon, nothing  to impare their judgement(they were too wise to get drunk at that time). So Curly had back up  he could rely on.

But the real reason, he realized as he stepped outside into the cool air with the brilliant starry, indigo sky above was; he had an uneasy feeling about leaving Johnny & Ponyboy alone after the socs  bugged them earlier. So he decided to stop by the park on the way. But as he passed, he didn't see Pony or Johnny(since they were lying down, asleep), and assumed they went home. So he went to town. After buying the lottery, and meeting up with Ace; he lost track of time, walking around. They had fries & a shake at the Dingo, and talked about stuff. Then they walked around town afterwards.

Curly wasn't smoking, he quit after only smoking for 1 week(smoke wasn't his thing), Tim was right that shit messed with your useful body. So he didn't stop for smokes, and only drank a little when Ace offered him a drink. Chaz lifted the booze from a small store, with skills Two-Bit would envy. So Curly was wondering why he was hallucinating when he saw the shy friend of Cherry walking downtown, alone! He wasn't drunk so it didn't make sense!

He was hallucinating, she would be crazy, no completely gone to walk around town on the Greaser side alone, at night! She wore that fluffy, preppy soc sweater/skirt, and cute tan sandals; in complete contrast to the  greasy greaser girls at the corners, looking like hookers. Since she was pretty, stuck out sorely, and her skirt was above her knees(slightly); greasers smirked as she passed by. One even whistled. But she ignored them, clung to herself, and walked away from them. Curly realized he wasn't hallucinating when his friends stared. "...Damn!"-Ace exclaimed. "Is she crazy?!"

"One brave or crazy soc chick!"-Chaz added.

When a small group of greasers trailed, and closed in on her; Curly marched towards her. Chaz and Ace following. Curly slung an arm around her, and the small group backed off. She looked at Curly in alarm, but Curly didn't meet her gaze as he boldly kept his arm on her. She grew nervous. Ace and Chaz hung around, akwardly.     Once they reached the brighter, safer area, Curly took his arm off her.  "Are you really on this side of town at night?!" he hissed, ignoring her panicked, angered, and anxious glances at him.

"Yeah broad," Ace added, "those greasers were all over you!"

"Why are you here?"-Curly asked, folding his arms. His anger over everything, Johnny, the Socs, life bubbling over. "Didn't the soc assholes screw with us on our turf enough today?! We don't want them our for our blood in our own turf, because they think we raped you!"

The girl looked upset, and flustered. "What's the matter?"-Curly asked, softly. "Come with me," he said. "You can trust me," he added. "I saved you from those greasers. But come on, I'll take you to Scout's house, you'll be safe there." Scout's dad was a mean drunk but he changed completely after almost being arrested, and divorced her mother. He also away custody of Scout to her before leaving for the west to follow his dream. Her mother remarried a nice guy, Buck, and they're happy.

 "Okay," the girl  hesitatde. He nodded at Ace and Chaz, who left.

Curly and Barina walked away from the town into the suburbs. "Once again why are you here?"-Curly couldn't help but ask. "You're one brave chick. And gloomy. Is soc life that bad?" It was a mocking line, but she didn't look offended; but as if she agreed. That interested Curly about her. He didn't know why he was helping her, but her vurnability was something  that made Curly feel he needed to save her.

"It's urgent!" she said, forgetting her nerves of being alone at night with a greaser guy. "About your friends! The ginger and dark one. They're in trouble!"

Curly looked at her, sharply. One thing was certain. Any greaser guy in a gang could forget about assaulting you alone at night  on the Greaser side; if you mentioned his friends were in trouble. "What do you mean? What's going to happen to Ponyboy and Johnny"-Curly demanded, confused. He stopped, staring at Barina. Johnny & Ponyboy were home right now, hopefully all at the Curtis'.

"When Bob called Cherry, it didn't disconnect  after Cherry threw the phone down," Barina explained, and Curly could imagine it. "I overheard Bob and his friends talking. One soc told Bob   they saw two younger greasers asleep at the park, and they were going to rudely wake them up. But they came back to quickly pick Bob and Randy up!"

"Shit!"-Curly exclaimed, realizing he didn't see Pony or Johnny because they were asleep! "We have to get to the park!"-Curly exclaimed, pulling Barina's hand. Barina panicked, not wanting to end up in the fight. Though she could stop the socs, well if they would respect her like they did in broad daylight, when they acted decently. Or even if they would listen to her. But she felt less vurnerable being near Curly, so she stuck close to him, though she didn't have much of a choice as he pulled her hand.

He kept a hold of her hand as they reached closer to the park. Curly leaned into her. "Stay here," he said, "try not to let anyone see you! If things get ugly, go to the Curtis house!" He gave her the address.  All hostility between soc & greaser was forgotten as Curly's deep blue eyes caught hers, reflecting concern of how he could best protect her. Barina felt a little safer, despite the dangers around them. Before she could reply, they reached the park; and heard chaos. Curly glanced at her in  concern one last time, before   drawing his switchblade, ready to dart in. She was panicked but remembered the almost finished fizz pop bottle in her pack, and hearing Greasers effectively fighting with broken bottles. "Curly!" she called at him. He turned at her, and she tossed the fizz pop bottle to him. He caught it, then ran in.

 Barina darted to the hedge in panic when she saw what was going on! Bob was mercilessly dunking Ponyboy's head in the fountain, and he was looking ill. Johnny was bruised but determined to protect his friend. He pulled a switchblade out. But Curly ran in, interrupting them. Getting good shots on all of them. So Johnny only hit Bob's back with the broken bottle Curly tossed at him. That really brought Bob down. Ponyboy was let go, and Johnny put up a good fight with Curly. Bob and his crew got a serious taste of their own medicine. The problem was the socs had switchblades too. But the broken bottle intimidated them. Especially after Bob's condition.

It was getting ugly. Barina came out of her hiding spot behind a hedge. Suddenly cop sirens were heard. The socs took off, with Randy and Greg carrying a passed out Bob away as quickly as they could. Someone grabbed Barina's arm, and she shrieked. That caught Randy and Greg's attention. They stared at her but a hand was pulling her way. She saw it was Curly. Johnny was aiding Ponyboy. And they headed to some direction in the Greaser territory. They walked silently, and reached a greaser tavern.  Poor Johnny was shaking as much as Ponyboy. But he bravely marched in with Curly, helping Curly protect her in the noisy tavern; while watching the  frail, wet Ponyboy. They walked up to a room in the back, and Johnny knocked frantically at the door. The scary guy at the Nightly Double answered. Barina instinctively stepped closer to Curly, who held her but made a calming notion.

"Aw hell!"-Dally said, seeing the 4 of them, so young. And her a soc girl. "What's going on here that you don't even see in New York?!"

"Dally, I assaulted a soc!"-Johnny exclaimed. "They were drowning Ponyboy!"

"Congratulations," Dally replied. "You did what anyone would do. But that doesn't explain the soc broad or little Shepard."

"This is Cherry's friend," Curly replied, he noticed Dally's crude expression, he continued, "she came all the way to this territory at night alone to warn us she overheard Bob's friends talking  about seeing Johnny & Pony to jump."

"If it wasn't for her, I might've stabbed Bob!"-Johnny exclaimed. "It was the only way!"

 Dally's expession changed, drastically. "Come in!" he said, ushering them all in. Once they were in, he closed the door. Then he begin rummaging. "Get he kid in warm clothes," he ordered.

Ponyboy changed into dry clothes, after showering with warm water,and Barina helped him towel dry his hair, sitting on the bed(along with Curly & Johnny).  Johnny also showered, and got dressed. Both in a tiny closet. While Curly, Johnny, and Barina explained everything that happened;  Dally rummaged, getting clothes, whatever packaged food he had, and a heater. "Man, I thought the only place I'd get caught in an assault case was New York."

"And a preppy, straight lace broad is thrown into it!"-Dally exclaimed, looking up and down at Barina. "Definitely unsual for even New York!"

"My name is Barina, and I wasn't thrown into it, I threw myself in," Barina replied.

"So much better," Dally rolled his eyes.

"Sorry I couldn't get you home earlier," Curly told her. "I'll walk you there!"

"No," Barina exclaimed. "You'll get jumped by socs. Randy saw me there!" Curly cursed under his breath.

Dally stared at them with his arms folded. "Actually," he intervened, "you both are accessories to Johnny's 'crime'. Atleast to the Socs' fancy lawyers, Bob's parents will hire!"

"What?!"-Curly asked.

"You gave Curly that broken bottle, and you gave Curly that bottle," Dally pointed out.

"So now what?"-Curly asked, looking worried.

"You're fugatives from the law like those two," Dally said.

Curly cursed. Barina wasn't as effected as she should be. She didn't want to go home. Of course she didn't want to go to jail either, but... Curly looked concerned at her, and it made her heart leap he was so concerned. She looked at him, carelessly. His stare lingered, but she could tell by his shinning eyes that he was sincerly flattered by her lack of concern in becoming a fugative after helping a Greaser; since he grew up on the roughest part of greaser territory. And any soc who didn't rag on them, let alone show empathy, was nothing short of amazing to him!

Dally threw them packed stuff, and they went to his car. They got in. Johnny in front with him, and the three of them in the back. "Are you alright?"-Barina asked Ponyboy, who was shivering, seated between Curly & her. Johnny gave Ponyboy his signature jean jacket.

They drove to a drivethrough, and got eggmuffins & drinks as dawn broke. They ate while they reached a hill in the distance, and an old church. "Thanks Dally," Johnny said.

"Why are you thanking me?"-Dally asked, uncharistically softly.

"Because Darry, Tim, and some socs are going to tan your hyde if they find out you helped us stow away," Johnny said, uncharacteriscially bold. Everyone laughed, it felt good to laugh.

 "Who says they'll find out?"-Dally asked. "This is between you guys and me." Johnny shifted uncomfortably, and Curly patted his back.

"I'll come by to check on you regularly if you need anything," Dally said, as they got out.

There was only one guy, a distance away at a school, as they walked up to the old, abandoned church. No one noticed them. "You all will be fine here?"-Dally asked. He looked at Barina. "How about you broad?" he asked. "You trust staying with these guys? Those two are innocent but can't speak for the Shepard. Actually can't speak for any of them, they're all young guy teens with hormones."

"Don't worry Dal, she'll be safe," Johnny said.  "None of us will do anything."

"That's right," Curly agreed. "I have enough integrity, and this situation is bad enough. Plus if it helps, I don't want socs to actually have a rape case to get me on!"

Dally nodded. "If I come back to find anything happened to her, your dead," he said. "Otherwise, good luck, I'll be back in a week!" He gave them more items, and they went into the old church. They put the stuff in the pew. "Later!"-Dally said, leaving.

First they all sat down to eat a snack. "What kind of soc are you?"-Curly asked, looking at her as they ate peanuts, and chips. "You put yourself in danger and became an accessory to an assault case, and a runaway convict to help a Greaser?"

"I'm a human soc," Barina replied. "I'm not better or happier. I'm miserable and jealous of the friends you have. You guys live tuff while everything I do is decided by someone."

"Poor you!"-Curly snapped. "You think we can do whatever we want?! I put up with Tim and his gang's orders to make ends meet. We had to go through all of this for just talking to soc girls. But soc guys can harass greaser girls and get off scott free!" He looked at her with a gleaming eye, and she backed up, afraid he could try to get even with her. She remembered the other two were there, and Curly didn't move.

"You think being a soc is only glitter and paradise, don't you?" Barina retorted.

"Uh yea!"-Curly replied.

"The grass is always greener on the other side!"-Barina replied. "Socs have money, an easy time, no judgement, no crime. But there is abuse, heavy drinking like Bob, no goal in life(the fancy colleges are paid for & admissions bought by connections), no real joy, no warmth just cold castles of riches." She looked at Curly. "If a greaser girl ended up on the soc side, no one would help her. Except maybe a soc girl like Cherry!"

 "Hey, don't judge so quickly," Curly said. "You're a soc, you barely know us, but you did all of this."

"I just did what any human would've done," Barina replied. "I knew Bob & his friends would cause something bad chasing greasers."

"No, you did something only a greaser family member would do for each other," Curly said. He smiled, looking down, and leaned in towards Barina. Then he kissed her. They pulled apart when Ponyboy and Johnny coughed.

"Do we have to remind you of Dally's threat?"-Ponyboy asked Curly. Everyone laughed, and they played cards the rest of the day. Then they went to sleep on blankets and pillows in the pew.  Johnny and Ponyboy kept Curly and Barina apart. But the two got closer, and the four of them talked until they fell asleep.

The next morning they woke up, and ate the dry pancakes from the grocery. Then they explored the church. Before that they decided to shower in one of the   rooms with taps of water, which was only a small greenhouse room in the courtyard. "Ladies first," Curly told Barina. "I promise I won't peep!" Bainra glared at Curly, and he laughed. Johnny and Ponyboy pulled Curly away as Barina entered the greenhouse. Mostly plants covered it but it probably wasn't completely private.

Barina stayed behind many plants as she stripped, and turned on the overhead showers. She had no idea if Curly could see her but she took her chance. Curly went in after she was done, winking at her. "Adam and Eve also bathed in the plants," he winked at her. "Maybe we should've tried that," he said in his best JD  voice.

She smacked his arm, embarassed. And Curly laughed. "Too wild for you, princess?"

"You haven't seen wild if you haven't been at a beerblast," Barina retorted.

Curly smirked. "Beer blasts are nothing to rodeos, betting, drag races, and rumbles, sweetheart!"

"What they do at beerblasts makes any JD greaser look like a straight lace," Barinan replied. Curly held her wrists, and tugged her towards the greenhouse. "Maybe you can show me?!"

 Barina smacked his hand off hers. "No! I haven't been to one!"

 "There's a 1st for everything," Curly purrs.

 But Johnny clears his throat behind them. "Curly, Dally won't be happy if you try to seduce her!"-Johnny states.

"Shoot Cade!"-Curly replies. "You chose now to speak out, and wreck my fun!"

"If youdo anything, Dally will wreck you!"-Ponyboy warns, walking in. "Plus we're all waiting!"

Curly grumbles, and enters the greenhouse. Embarassed but bold, Barina looks at it to see if he could've seen anything. She only sees the upper half of Curly, and shrieks realizing what he saw. Curly notices her and grins, waving at her. What she doesn't know is he pulled plants away at that spot on purpose, to fool her. Ponyboy tells her this later.

Dally stops by, and they ride out to a drive in and eat in the hills of the church. Dally fills them in on what happened after they left. "Darry & Soda are a mess; Tim is a mess while trying to avoid Darry's wrath, because he thinks Tim knows what I do; the socs are gathering an army of lawers for the broken bottle 'attack' on Bob and ''kidnapping'' you, Barina!"

"What?!"-Barina exclaimed. Curly turned to look at her. "That's crazy!"-Barina ranted. "How would greasers come to the soc side against socs with lawyers and good quality weapons; and kidnap me while fighting socs on the greaser side?"

"Honey, socs don't need no logic when slamming greasers with the book anytime something wrong happens to them," Dallas replied. "Even if they came looking for trouble."

"Nothing what they do to us will count against them," Curly said, bitterly.

"But I'm a soc, and I can stop this," Barina protested.

"No, I'm going to turn myself in," Johnny said.

"What?!" everyone but Johnny exclaimed.

 "Darry and Soda are too worried; Tim is worried to, and getting the heat; the socs are getting angrier; you need to go home, Barina; and my parents..."-Johnny said.

"What about your parents?"-Dally demanded of Johnny.

"What did they say, Dally?"-Johnny begged.

"Shoot!"-Dally cursed. "My old man never gave a damn about me. _They aint worth a damn, Johnny_!" Dally slammed his hands on the dashboard, upset.

"He's right," Barina said, quietly. "My parents ignore me, look at me like I'm half a person. They're not worth it!"

"We're your family," Ponyboy added.

"Well shoot, when you say that," Johnny muttered. "Okay, I'll stay here!"

"That's the spirit!"-Barina exclaimed.

"Okay," Dally said, pulling dye out of a bag. "I went to the dime store, all of you are going to need to cut and dye your hair," Dally said.

 "Shoot!"-Ponyboy said. "You first!" he said to Curly.

Everyone laughed as everyone's hair was cut an inch shorter. Johnny dyed his hair brown, Ponyboy bleached his hair blond, Curly dyed his red, and Barina dyed hers black. "It looks tuff," Johnny told Ponyboy.

Curly whistled at Barina. "Looking good chick!" he said.

"Back at ya!"-Barina replied, smirking at Curly.

 Everyone settled at the hill to eat dinner of corn and spegetti from a can, at the edge of the pew. "This is the life, huh!"-Ponyboy said.

"Yeah, this is life!"-Barina agreed, leaning back. "Defying society, and breaking free!"

"STOP IT!"-Johnny yelled, standing up. Everyone looked at him. "It's not great! I assaulted Bob!"

"And we stopped you from doing that, so what's the big deal?"-Barina asked.

"The world doesn't care, we're dangerous as the Tigers!"-Curly yelled, standing up too. "We're no good, savage JDs to the world, and you will be too after they find out we didn't abduct you but you were an accessory to our crime!"-Curly yelled at Barina. "Doesn't that bother you?" He wants to shake her by her shoulders, but she won't look at him.

"Guys"-Ponyboy started, "you're getting worked up."

"No you're getting worked up, Ponyboy!"-Johnny cried out. "You think you can change anything? That we defied society?"

"Do you think being a soc martyr helps?"-Curly asked Barina. "No, you just gave society another reason to continue its stereotypes against socs and greasers. They'll think you just fell for a bad boy like Cherry." "The world doesn't care about facts, just its opinions," Curly said.

Johnny and Curly stormed off. Ponyboy and Barina looked at each other then sat in sad, silence. They went to the empty, dusty pew that hasn't been used in ages. But had beautiful stain glass with light streaming in it. Then  sat down, closing their eyes to think. Niether knew how long they sat in silence before two more bodies were felt besides them.

When Ponyboy and Barina opened their eyes they saw Johnny and Curly next to them. "Do you think God sees us as greasers or socs?"-Johnny asked, "and that's why socs have it better?"

"Nah," Ponyboy replies. "He sees us all as humans. And he gives some humans more pain than others." Ponyboy remembers the days he went to church with his family every Sunday when his parents were alive.

"What about what we did in our roles as greasers and socs?"-Curly asked.

"No," Barina replied. "Unless you did wrong. But if it was because of circumstances, he understands." Curly looked at her.

"It sure ain't a fair or sane world is it?"-Johnny asked.

 "It ain't even spared the socs in that, too," Curly added.

"I guess it's part of life," Ponyboy said.

"Otherwise it'd be like the commie's world," Barina added. "And Utopia can't exist."

"Because human nature is to look out for themselves," Ponyboy said.

"It don't matter whoever was doing right," Johnny added. "Everyone will cry about what happened to them."

"And no one will spare a second for your justice, even if you never harm no one; if they and their interests are hurt," Curly added.

"The world sure is gloomy, huh?"-Barina asked.

"But there is light in the dark world," Curly says, looking tenderly at her. "Light can really only come in darkness."

Barina looks down. "I'm sorry," Curly says, trying to make her meet his gaze.

"I'm also sorry," Johnny adds. Barina and Ponyboy smile at them.

They walk outside to watch the sunset. "Nature is so nice without humans warring and spoiling it," Ponyboy said.

"It's hard to imagine how so much harshness of life came from such beauty," Barina agreed.

"Or how we turned this untouched, glorious view into the crap we call home," Curly added.

"I wish we could bring this into our lives and take out the bad stuff, like greasers vs socs. Alcoho  and hurting each other," Johnny said, staring at the sunset.

"Like when we were young," Ponyboy agreed, "and everything was brand new." Everyone murmered in agreement.

"Nothing was unspoiled by harsh reality," Johnny added.

"This reminds me of a poem by Robert Frost," Ponyboy said.

"''Nature's first green is gold,  
Her hardest hue to hold.  
Her early leaf's a flower;  
But only so an hour.  
Then leaf subsides to leaf,  
So Eden sank to grief,  
So dawn goes down to day  
Nothing gold can stay.''"

"I wonder what it means," Curly said.

They went asleep early that day. The next morning, they went shopping with Dally again. When they returned the church was on fire. There were kids there. Johnny, Ponyboy, Curly, and Barina ran towards it. Dally behind them, cursing. Ponyboy, Curly and Dalas pulled kids out while Johnny and Barina searched inside. Johnny saw a little girl inside, afraid. He picked her up, and handed her to Dally. Then a rafter beam fell down. Barina went to push Johnny out of the way, but a force pushed them both out or pulled them out of the window. Curly stood there panting, heavily. Barina didn't notice it before but a rope was around her and Johnny. "Learning lassing at the rodio, it comse handy," Curly said.

 He glared at them both. "Sacrifcing yourself does not always work! When will you two realize that?"

"Amen!"-Dallas said.

Johnny coughed, his lungs full of smoke. Barina did the same. The four of them returned home, in the hospital. Ponyboy had a tearful reunion with his brothers. While Curly with Tim. Johnny and Barina had no one. Barina's parents sent a check for hospital bills, that was it. Cherry and Marcia came to visit though.

Ponyboy's gang, including his brothers & Tim, visited them all. Then Johnny's mother came over. "I don't want to live!"-Johnny yelled after one visit. "Don't let her in!"

"This is why you don't help no one or care for no one who don't care for you!"-Dally vented to Ponyboy, choked in emotion.

"Did ya hear?!"-Curly asked Barina, full of emotion, holding her hand from the other hospital bed.

"Guys," Johnny said one day. "I figured out that poem of yours, Ponyboy. He means life is gold, and everything's new when you're young. And it's great when you leave it untouched. But when you get older, it's not as new anymore. Everything fades away to dullness. Ponyboy, the way you dig sunsets is great. Don't ever change. I don't think Dally or Tim ever saw a sunset before. Show them how it feels. Barina, Curly, the way you believe in a better world, following your heart, and not labels like greaser or soc holding you back; is beautiful thing. If half of Tulsa thought like that, it might be a better place. Stay gold everyone!"

The next day Johnny ran away, putting them in a worse light. And the 3 of them returned to town to be scorned. None of Barina's soc friends would talk to her. Her parents were on vacation but disappointed with her. Only Cherry would talk to her. Their stories were published in the paper. They were convicts but heroes for saving the kids. It was dangerous to associate with greasers who were getting jumped right & left by socs. Two-Bit, Soda, & Steve had to carry a blade. There was talk of a rumble. But worse, Bob's lawyers were ready to strike. Barina was harassed by socs and greasers(both who believed she was a traitor or enemy).

Finally Barina had enough. But she learned something interesting from Ponyboy at school; Cherry crossed over to the greaser side to give them information about the socs before the rumble. "It took guts, her pulling up in that little stingray," Two-Bit added.

"In a crowd of greasers, and gangs, she walked up to us, calmly," Scout added. Scout turned to Ponyboy. "You once told me running away wouldn't solve my problems, and now I see why facing them is better," she said.

"Johnny taught us," Ponyboy replied. "But he didn't take his own advice here." Scout hugged Ponyboy, who put an arm around her.

 Barina ran through the school, thinking about what they said. She ran away, and let all of this go this far. Now she had to face it. A hand caught hers. She looked to see Curly's face. "Still beating yourself up?" he asked, reading her mind. "You socs are so guilty feeling!"

"But you greasers are too loyal," Barina replied.

"It's how we live, like how you socs worry about what you have to do," Curly replied. "But stop beating yourself up, you saved a life, and kept a situation under control."

Barina smiled at Curly. "Now I have to set it completely right," Barina said, her hand tighenting on Curly's when socs passed by.

Curly stood protectively in front of her when a gang of socs came to cause trouble, yelling 'traitor' & 'slut'. When Pony's gang came, they backed off.

"Don't worry, I'll set this right," Barina said.

"I never understood how you straight laced socs get through all that BS with dignity," Curly said.

"And I never understood how you tight group of JDs go through all the BS with dignity," Barina replied. Curly smiled, and leaned in. They kissed.

Barina used her parents' money to hire a good lawyer for them, he prepared well with all their detailed descriptions. Cherry and Marcia gave testimonies too. Even Randy, who was tired of the fighting. The night of the rumble was before the case. Everyone was tense, and it was skin on skin. Darry was there and faced Paul, his old rival. Dally came a litle later. Curly let out some steam on the socs who gave Barina, Ponyboy, or any of the gang hell. But that night they discovered Johnny was retaken by his parents, and beaten again. He was a wreck, Dally turned into one, and ran off with Johnny.

Darry begged for Dally to come back from the rodeo in the countryside where they stayed. But he wouldn't. Not even for the case. Barina went over to visit. "Life doesn't seem worth it, but we can make it worth it by fighting their fight," she told them.

The day of the case arrived. Cherry and Randy testified. Darry testified hitting Ponyboy, making him run away, even if it risked getting Ponyboy sent to the state.  Surprisingly Dallas showed up with Johnny. At the end Johnny and his 2 accomplices(Curly & Barina) were let off because they acted self-defense. Barina alone at night on Greaser territory left no doubt about this. A new case was opened for abuse in Johnny's home by Curly's mom, a social worker now. Ponyboy was allowed to remain with Darry, so was Soda(and the older & younger made up their differences after Soda's outburst, driven by Sandy cheating/ditching him. But Cherry would fill that void). Johnny was emancipated from his parents and living with Tim's family and Dally(they fought over this, too). Darry married Ms. Shepard, and Ponyboy became Curly's uncle. Bob was remorseful of what he did, and this almost life & death situation taught both the socs & greasers lessons about violence. Things cooled down between both groups, and died down altogether when the 70's came. Randy, Curly, and Barina became hippies.

Barina and Curly got married while they went to college together. Everyone in the Curtis gang(including Soda who got his GED) & the socs involved in the incident went to college. Darry made better money along with Mrs. Curtis/Shepard.  It was the safest way to stay out of the vietnam war & protest it.  But the unfortunate ones who were both soc & greasers, and saw first hand how those labels didn't matter in reality.

The full story of these events were turned into small play, 'The Romeo &  Juliet of Tulsa'. What Curly and Barina were.

 

 


End file.
